D40 or A200

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jelphotoguy

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Hi

I am new to this site.

I am going to buy a new DSLR camera either the Sony a200 or Nikon d40 I know they are pretty similar but the sony does have a higher pixel which makes be tend to go for that one however Nikon is well known camera make and make only cameras (and binonociolurs) so they are camera experts. Where as sony make electronics generally.

Can someone please answer me the following questions?

Which is the newer camera a200 or D40 (i.e which out of these two came out later)



Shutter speed on d40 says 2.5 speed for shutter speed, whats the speed for a200

I read somewhere that the Nikon has a sony chip is this true.

Last question and sorry if it sounds dumb

Is A DSLR 6m pixel camera better than a compact 6m pixel camera or is it the same

Any help great
 
Firstly, welcome to TP :)

The D40 is an old, old camera nowadays. That's not to say it's no good, but it was phased out of the Nikon line up a while back, although there are still plenty in the shops. It might be worth having a look at the D40x which is now the entry level Nikon DSLR or the D60 or D80 if your budget will stretch that far.

2.5 isn't the D40 shutter speed, that's the maximum number of frames it can shoot in a second. The A200, by contrast can shoot at up to 3 frames per second.

Yes, the Nikon DSLRs have Sony chips in them.

The sensor on an APS-C dslr, such as the D40 or the A200 is considerably bigger than the one in a compact camera, so the pixels are more spaced out (:thinking:) resulting in lower noise on the images. Below is a comparison in size between a compact's sensor and one out of a Nikon DSLR......


Hope this helps :)
2748503640_91923d54fc_o.jpg
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Firstly, welcome to TP :)

The D40 is an old, old camera nowadays. That's not to say it's no good, but it was phased out of the Nikon line up a while back, although there are still plenty in the shops. It might be worth having a look at the D40x which is now the entry level Nikon DSLR or the D60 or D80 if your budget will stretch that far.

2.5 isn't the D40 shutter speed, that's the maximum number of frames it can shoot in a second. The A200, by contrast can shoot at up to 3 frames per second.

Yes, the Nikon DSLRs have Sony chips in them.

The sensor on an APS-C dslr, such as the D40 or the A200 is considerably bigger than the one in a compact camera, so the pixels are more spaced out (:thinking:) resulting in lower noise on the images. Below is a comparison in size between a compact's sensor and one out of a Nikon DSLR......


Hope this helps :)
2748503640_91923d54fc_o.jpg
Click to expand...



Ok forgive me if I am wrong but from what I remember in from my Media degree if the pixels are spaced aout more does that not reduce the quality.

Generally out of these two (and the a300) I know that it has liveview and I would not mind having that) which camera is best for a complete novice I want to take nature pictures. Also do does the a300 have a remote control (bought seperatly of course)

The other thing is NIKON is offering £40 cashback but I dont want it if I am getting a sub-standard camera
 
jelphotoguy said:
Ok forgive me if I am wrong but from what I remember in from my Media degree if the pixels are spaced aout more does that not reduce the quality.
Click to expand...

If that were the case then the best images would come from 12mp compact cameras like my Canon G9 and not from DSLRS like my 12mp D300......
 
If you have limited yourself to these two cameras why not go to a shop to compare them? Actually handling them may give you some preference. Also consider the availability of lenses, especially s/h if you need to go down that route. The number of pixels available is not necessarily the be all and end all, it's what you do with them at the end of the day!
 
:agree: unless you plan to crop the images a lot you won't really see a whole lot of difference between 6mp and 10mp
 
Flash In The Pan said:
:agree: unless you plan to crop the images a lot you won't really see a whole lot of difference between 6mp and 10mp
Click to expand...

Sorry :amstupid:
Just two more questions if NIKON have disconintued their D40 have they stopped giving support for it.

If I take camera insurnace and something happens to my camera the insurance company says they will replace for the same or similar model but D40 will soon run out in shops so what would happen
 
jelphotoguy said:
Sorry :amstupid:
Just two more questions if NIKON have disconintued their D40 have they stopped giving support for it.

If I take camera insurnace and something happens to my camera the insurance company says they will replace for the same or similar model but D40 will soon run out in shops so what would happen
Click to expand...

I bought my D40 in march i was told that if Nikon discontinued the D40 and mine was not repairable i would get the nearest model to it or a credit note to put to another camera.That will depend on which shop you buy it from but best thing to do is check with the shop before you buy.

I like my D40 the good thing about the Nikon is there are plenty of lenses that will fit especially if you don't mind using manual so loads of choice of both new and 2nd hand kit when you want more than just the kit lenses.

I do want to upgrade now but only because i would prefer more settings on the actual camera instead of trawling through menus to change stuff when using manual.I've done a few gigs with the D40 at the last one the other togger reckoned my pics were easily as good as the ones he took with a D200when we compared pics later.
 
as has been said..go visit a camera shop which has a selection of the cameras you're interested in,and try them out for size,ease of use,positioning of the controls etc etc..

to answer your question re: remote control on the sony,i think your refering to a cable release..in which case,yes you can.i have the sony alpha 350,and i actually took my first shot using liveview,and it works very well indeed.

another problem with compact cameras is shutter lag,a problem that doesn't exsist with DSLR's(not to my knowledge anyway).

sony don't as yet have the lens range of canon or nikon,and their G range is rather expensive,but there are plenty of konica minolta lens around for little money(sony bought KM's camera division,so have the same A mount fitting),plus 3rd party lens from sigma,tamron etc etc...

hope this helps..
 
jelphotoguy said:
Sorry :amstupid:
Just two more questions if NIKON have disconintued their D40 have they stopped giving support for it.

If I take camera insurnace and something happens to my camera the insurance company says they will replace for the same or similar model but D40 will soon run out in shops so what would happen
Click to expand...

No, Nikon will continue to support the D40 - they still offer online support and spares for the D50 and D70 models, which precded the D40. I'd imagine you'd get a D40x from the insurance, or possibly a reconditioned D40, depending on thhe terms of the policy
 
One more question

I noticed that sony uses compact flash and nikon uses SD card

I am a little put of by compact Flash because a few years ago like in 1999 I bought my first digital camera it used compact flash and the camera kept crashing and I had it replaced but it always behaved funny (it did still work) so I associate compact flash memory cards with inferior cameras.

Whats other people opinion on this matter?

I've been reading on Jessops and they say that compact flash is superior and writes alot fast plus you can get cards of up to 64gb where as SD goes only to 32gb
 
Can anyone post an image of a 6mp picture and a 10mp picture
 
jelphotoguy said:
One more question

I noticed that sony uses compact flash and nikon uses SD card

I am a little put of by compact Flash because a few years ago like in 1999 I bought my first digital camera it used compact flash and the camera kept crashing and I had it replaced but it always behaved funny (it did still work) so I associate compact flash memory cards with inferior cameras.

Whats other people opinion on this matter?

I've been reading on Jessops and they say that compact flash is superior and writes alot fast plus you can get cards of up to 64gb where as SD goes only to 32gb
Click to expand...


Six and half a dozen although SD is probably the way ahead for cameras at this end of the market.

Both 6mp and 10mp images are too big to post her on TP, but unless you are planning A3 prints either will do nicely.

Either camera (or a canon 400D) would be a great introduction to the world of dslr photography, so you're really best to go and try all the different models and see which one feels right in your hands, which ever one you choose I'm sure you'll have great fun with it :)
 
i would think that compact flash cards are a safer bet with regards to accidental damage,as the contacts on the SD variety are "open",whereas on a CF card the contact points are internal.i have a compact camera which uses SD cards,and i find it all a bit fiddly..i do believe CF cards do write a lot faster than SD cards..not to sure how much,or how much difference it makes to us mere mortals...

i can't post any images from the nikon camera,but here's a few from my alpha 350...(obviously been converted from RAW to JPEG and had some PP)



stephandethan2.jpg


DSC00525_filtered.jpg


DSC00539.jpg


good luck with your hunting..
 
could not delete a certain word so Deleted everything and did a new post below
 
:thankyou:

I think I've made my decesion (It still depends on me going to the shop and 1)which of the three they have in stock and 2) which feels better in my hand but I think I gonna go for A300 or A200 the Nikon D40(no offence to anyone who has it) to me seems outdated where as the A300/A200 seems to be better esepcially the A300 tilt screen and Live view and it being 10.2mp I understand I may not ever use the 10.2mp however as I get better and better and start using the more advanced features the 10.2mp may come in handy.


Just out of intreast why do all compact digital cameras have liveview as standard where as DSLR dont have them as standard??? :(

Thanks for your help

:help: for one more thing

Does anyone know of any photographic clubs or scoities in North or West London(near where I live that meet on Mondays or the weekends).or in the Kingston/Richmond upon thames area of London UK(near where I work) that meet anytime after 8.30pm any day of the week.SIZE]
 
jelphotoguy said:
Does anyone know of any photographic clubs or scoities in North or West London(near where I live that meet on Mondays or the weekends).or in the Kingston/Richmond upon thames area of London UK(near where I work) that meet anytime after 8.30pm any day of the week.SIZE][/SIZE]
Click to expand...

There is a camera society in Muswell Hill if that's any help to you?
I've yet to investigate it myself but as it's local, I do intend to do so.
 
jelphotoguy said:
:thankyou:

I think I've made my decesion (It still depends on me going to the shop and 1)which of the three they have in stock and 2) which feels better in my hand but I think I gonna go for A300 or A200 the Nikon D40(no offence to anyone who has it) to me seems outdated where as the A300/A200 seems to be better esepcially the A300 tilt screen and Live view and it being 10.2mp I understand I may not ever use the 10.2mp however as I get better and better and start using the more advanced features the 10.2mp may come in handy.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan, you can't really beat the new Sony stuff in the value for money stakes at the moment. Looking forward to seeing some pictures once you get out and about with your new toy :)
 
Hey there, a couple of weeks ago i posted the exact same question! You should check out that thread because it got very helpful responses and reasons for both (although I ended up buying a sony a100 off a TP member- I'm v pleased with it too) Check it out- go to my profile, click on statistics then 'threads started by TinySpark' and you'll find it...
And good luck too :)
 
as others have said, the 2 cameras don't compare, as a sony user myself i weighed up the options between the D40x, the canon 400d and the sony A100 and i chose the A100 for its in body image stabilizer, dynamic range + system, MUCH better build quality and general lower price.
My second choice would have been the canon but i have no regrets on my choice.
 
jelphotoguy said:
I want to take nature pictures.
Click to expand...
Am I the only person who's picked up on what jelphotoguy actually wants to photograph?

What kind of "nature"? Landscapes? Animals? Birds? Insects? ...

The reason I ask is that pretty much any modern DSLR will allow you to get the job done, but what really matters is the lenses you have available to you. When you buy your first DSLR you need to look at what lenses and other accessories are available in that system, and the extent to which they will support what you want to do with your camera.
 
TinySpark said:
Hey there, a couple of weeks ago i posted the exact same question! You should check out that thread because it got very helpful responses and reasons for both (although I ended up buying a sony a100 off a TP member- I'm v pleased with it too) Check it out- go to my profile, click on statistics then 'threads started by TinySpark' and you'll find it...
And good luck too :)
Click to expand...

Yeah I read your posts but then I lost it. You never posted if you were pleased or not with it. So I started a new thread


Question to everyone

is a liveview a massively important feature, not sure if I want to pay £50 for the privlidge

James
 
StewartR said:
Am I the only person who's picked up on what jelphotoguy actually wants to photograph?

What kind of "nature"? Landscapes? Animals? Birds? Insects?
Click to expand...
To answer your question


Sunsets, Lakes and Mountains
 
jelphotoguy said:
To answer your question


Sunsets, Lakes and Mountains
Click to expand...

well,at least you won't need a big selection of lens' for them...:D

i used liveview yesterday to take some macro shots,and it was a big help to get the focussing right.it can also be handy if you want to shoot something,and your only way of getting the shot is to hold it over someone/something in front of you,as you won't be able to look through the viewfinder...probably not needed for landscape shots though,but if you decide to branch into another area,you have it there..just in case :thumbs:
 
I am going to get my camera at 6pm (store closes at 8pm) but what I want to know apart from Sony has a limited range of lens are there any other disandvangates of getting a sony over a nikon or Cannon

Here is my understanding over nikon d40 and sony a300

Sony has the following

3fps
10.2mp
Liveview tilt screen
dust cleaning

Nikon

6.1mp
2.5fps
no liveview
no dust cleaning thingy
is £70-£80 cheaper

Do any of these cameras accept motor lens
Please reply before 6pm
 
Well I'm not sure what you mean completely by motor lenses, but Sony has in-camera-stabilisation, Nikon d40 does not- this means you will have to buy lenses that have VR (vibration reduction) which can be expensive.

Oh and to answer your concern before, yes I'm very pleased with the Sony a100-and the a200 is obviously gonna be better so i'd say it's pretty decent! Although I've only had the camera for a few days shooting so can't evaluate tht completely!
 
And I still say that the range of lenses for the Sony isn't that limited. There are certainly good lenses available for all the focal lengths in zoom and prime that you will ever want to use, especially when you take into account the Sigma and Tamron lenses and even the Sony ones are expanding at a rapid rate and coming down considerably in price. And remember, Nikon/Canon have twice the number of lenses because they have to produce them with and without VR/IS.
 
TinySpark said:
Well I'm not sure what you mean completely by motor lenses, but Sony has in-camera-stabilisation, Nikon d40 does not- this means you will have to buy lenses that have VR (vibration reduction) which can be expensive.
Click to expand...

hmmm ,I don't know what I meant by motor lens :lol::bang: :amstupid:

I so tempted for Sony, but do they have the expertise to have make good quality cameras.

How big is the nikon compared to the sony, I ordered a case from ebay for £2.50 for D40 :bang: (as I thought that would be the one I'd buy) however now I am almost certainly buying a sony a300 will it fit.

:lol: :help:
 
jelphotoguy said:
hmmm ,I don't know what I meant by motor lens :lol::bang: :amstupid:

I am so tempted for Sony, but do they have the expertise to have make good quality cameras.

How big is the nikon compared to the sony, I ordered a case from ebay for £2.50 for D40 :bang: (as I thought that would be the one I'd buy) however now I am almost certainly buying a sony a300 will it fit.

:lol: :help:
Click to expand...
 
jelphotoguy said:
hmmm ,I don't know what I meant by motor lens :lol::bang: :amstupid:

I so tempted for Sony, but do they have the expertise to have make good quality cameras.

How big is the nikon compared to the sony, I ordered a case from ebay for £2.50 for D40 :bang: (as I thought that would be the one I'd buy) however now I am almost certainly buying a sony a300 will it fit.

:lol: :help:
Click to expand...

Sony took over Minolta so there is definitely expertise there. Also Sony are leaders in optics for professional video cameras. Marry that with their undeniable knowledge and experience in consumer elewctronics and I think they are a safe bet in that respect. I don't know whether the case will fit an A300 (Assume you're going to Jessops for it) but if it doesn't, it's only £2.50 you've lost which certainly shouldn't influence your decision.
 
fabs said:
So don't keep us in suspense! What d'ya get? :nuts:
Click to expand...

I did not get anything. Spent about 30minutes going through the different cameras a300 d40 or d60 however the guy swayed me over to the d60 but get this no stock :thumbsdown:

Will go to my local jessops (went to a bigger branch thinking I'd get a chance to play) which I did I found the a300 a bit better to handel however it felt very plasticy and the d60 has £60 cash back so I get it for £289 (price instore is £349)
 
I have the D40X and the D60 is the next one up from that and I am very pleased with the D40X, very easy to use and very comfortable to hold and work with.
 
The jist of what the guy said is 'Nikon are the camera brand to been seen with,'

Nikon are the rolls royce of cameras and sony are the skoda of cameras and cannon are the jaguars
 
P.S

I am never going to buy cameras or anything from Currys. I went there after Jessops Yes they had D60 in stock, and instead of being helpful they said take a seat and I'll be with you in a moment I am just serving a customer.

I watched him serve 5 different customers and still no help.

Do currys salesman get comission because If so he missed a big comission. Anyway I am gonna get it from Jessops

Jessops are helpful and very well mannered
currys are often ill mannered and they tend to rush you and sort of semi force you to take un needed accessiories
 
jelphotoguy said:
The jist of what the guy said is 'Nikon are the camera brand to been seen with,'

Nikon are the rolls royce of cameras and sony are the skoda of cameras and cannon are the jaguars
Click to expand...

I have never heard such a pile of garbage in my entire life. There's no way the salesman should be pushing brands in that manner!

At a consumer level, each camera is as efficient at doing the job as the next. You should choose the camera on the basis of how it feels, how intuitive the controls are and whether it will do what you want it to do. Not how fashionable a brand name is!:cuckoo:
 
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